MDC Treasurer's Anti-Mugabe Slur Trial Set For November

Magistrate Murove postponed the trial after Kagodora’s lawyers David Hofisi and Jeremiah Bamu of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) informed him that the prosecutor had not served them with witness statements so as to fully prepare for trial.

Kagodora will now stand trial on 10 November after the prosecutor pledged to furnish his lawyers with all the witness statements.

The State accused Kagodora of contravening the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act by undermining the authority of or insulting the President.

Prosecutors allege that Kagodora denounced President Mugabe during an address to party supporters at a constitutional awareness meeting held at Nzvimbo Council Hall in Chiweshe, Mashonaland Central on 11 March 2010, when he said; “Mugabe mudenga, Grace mudenga, vabatanidzei, roverai pasi,” which the police deduced to mean “Mugabe up, Grace up, bring them together and drop them on the ground.”

Apparently Kagodora was removed from remand on 25 June 2010 by Magistrate Ruramai Chitumbura on the same charge that he has been summonsed to stand trial after his lawyer Jeremiah Bamu of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) applied for refusal of further remand.

Besides Kagodora, Epworth Member of Parliament Hon. Eliah Jembere, who was also charged with undermining the authority of or insulting the President Mugabe at the same time with Kagodora, was also removed from remand on 25 June 2010. Hon. Jembere has not yet been served with any summons on the matter.

Hon. Jembere was accused of insulting President Mugabe when he addressed party supporters at a constitutional awareness meeting by saying “Mugabe mudenga, ZANU PF mudenga, vabatanidzei, roverai roverai pasi,” which the police interpreted as meaning to say “Mugabe up, ZANU PF up, bring them together and drop them down.”